Process for cracking emulsified petroleum oil



Fe b.26,1929. v 1,703,103

1 e. EGLOFF ETAL' PROCESS FOR CRACKING EMULSJiFIED PETROLEUM O IL" Original Filed Sept. 1. 1920 Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITE "GUSTAV EGLOFF AND HARRY P. BENNER, OF CHICAGO: ILL'INOIS, ASSIGNORS TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

PROCESS FOR CRACKING EMULSIFIED PETROLEUM OIL.

Application filed September 1, 1920, Serial No. 407,411.

This invention relates to improvements in process and apparatus for cracking emulsified petroleum oil, and has among its objects to provide a process in which vapors are subjected to reflux condensing action, and the reflux condensate separately collected while the steam and lighter oil vapors are in turn removed and separately collected from the heavier oil constituents of said reflux condensate, thus preventing any tendency of the heavier reflux condensate to reemulsi'fy with the condensed watery vapors.

In the drawings, the single figure represents a side elevation of our improved apparatus.

"Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the furnace, provided with burner 2, stack 3 and flue 4. In the furnace is mounted the heating element 5, which may take the form of 0 a pair of headers 6,connected by a plurality of pipesor tubes 7. The oil is introduced into the still 5 through the line 8, having valve 9, which line is connected to the supply pump 10. The oil while still in liquid phase passes g5 out of the still through transfer line 11 to the vapor chamber or shell 12. The shell 12 is provided with man hole plate 13 and liquid draw 0E pipe 14, the latter controlled by throttle valve 15. The vapors pass out of the vapor chamber 12 through line 16, controlled by throttle valve 17 which line 16 extends as shown in the lower end of the dephlegmator 18. The upper part of line 16 is provided with space cap member 19 to prevent the reflux condensate from falling back into the pipe 16. I

Uncondensed vapors and gases pass out of the top of the dephlegmator through pipe 20, go controlled by valve 21, to a condenser coil 22, seated in condenser box 23. This condenser box 23;:is maintained at a temperature above the'boili'ng point of water at the pressure used,

.j"byifegulatingthe cooling medium, as for ex- "ample, the steam injected through the line 24 and withdrawn through line 2'5, controlled by suitable valves shown. The-temperature of this condenser box 23 may be maintained at a temperature of say 375 deg. F. if the operating pressure used is say 100 pounds. The

steam and oil vapors which are not condensed in the coil 22 pass outthrough line 26, controlled by valve 27, to a condenser coil 28, which is maintained at a temperature of say 70 deg; F. The lower part of the condenser by valve 45, which line 44 leads to coil 46, 7'

Renewed July 2, 1928.

coil 28 is connected by line 29, controlled by valve 30, to a receiver 31'. The water and the lightest oil distillates will separate by gravity in the receiver 31.

The vapors which are. condensed in the coil 22 pass out through the line 32, controlled by valve 33, to another cooling coil 34 seated in condenser box 35, which latter is maintained at a temperature of about deg. F. The cooling coil 34 is connected by a line, controlled by valve 36, to a receiver 37. This receiver 37 is provided with liquid draw otl' line 38, controlled by throttle valve 39 and gas outlet 40, controlled by valve 41. It also has pressure gauge 42 and liquid level gauge 43. The receiver 37 is the main receiver for the distillatcs.

The vapors which are condensed in the dephlegmator 18 are drawn off from the bottom of the latter through line 44, cont-rolled seated in condenser box 47. The temperature of this condenser box 47 may be regulated by the cooling medium such as steam injected into the box through line 48 and drawn oil through line 49, each controlled by a suitable valve as shown. The temperature of the condenser box 47 is maintained at a temperature above the boiling point of water at the pres sure used, as for example, 375 deg. F. Any steam or light oil vapors which may be carried or trapped in the line 4.4 with the reflux condensate, will pass out through line 50, controlled by valve 51, to the line 26, leading to the condenser coil 28. The heavier or liquid condensate will pass out of the-coil 46 through connection 52, controlled by valve 53, to another cooling coil 54, seated in condenser box 55. This condenser box 55 may be maintained at a temperature of 70 deg. F. The condensate passes out of the coil 54 through line 56, controlled by valve. 57, into a reflux condensate receiver 58.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the reflux condensate which is collected in the receiver 58 is freed from any water content as Well as from the light vapors, and can be recracked or otherwise used or treated.

As a. modified method of carrying out the process, various parts of the system may be maintained under dillerential pressure by suitably regulating the valves heretofore referred to.

We claim as our invention:

A process of treating emulsified hydrocar the water vapors and light h drocarbon Va.- 10 bon oil, consisting in heating the oil to a, conpors, separated from the re 11x condensate version temperature, in passing evolved va and from the vapors undergoing such initial pors to a dephlegmator, in subjecting the recondensation and in thereafter subjecting 5 flux condensate to further treatment at a temsuch comingled Water vapors and light hyperature above the boiling point of water, in drocarbon vapors to a final condensing action. 15

subjecting the dephlegmated vapors to an initial condensing action at a temperature GUSTAV EGLOFF. above the boiling point of water, in uniting HARRY P. BENNER. 

